SOURCE: AFI
In the wake of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, Indian netizens have launched a fervent campaign urging the Indian government to ban Turkish Airlines from operating in the country.
The outrage stems from Turkey’s alleged supply of drones and kamikaze loitering munitions to Pakistan, which were used in attacks on Indian military and civilian sites, as well as Turkey’s vocal support for Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir issue. Social media platforms, particularly X, have become battlegrounds for the “#BoycottTurkishAirlines” and “#BoycottTurkey” movements, reflecting growing public anger over what many perceive as Turkey’s betrayal of India’s goodwill.
India’s Operation Sindoor was a response to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), neutralizing infrastructure linked to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. In retaliation, Pakistan launched a barrage of 300–400 Turkish-made drones, including Byker YIHA III kamikaze loitering munitions, targeting 36 Indian military and civilian sites across Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Gujarat on May 7–8, 2025.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that these drones, notably Asisguard Songar and Bayraktar models, were supplied by Turkey, with reports indicating Turkish operatives assisted in their operation. Fragments of the Byker YIHA III were recovered in Punjab, highlighting their use as single-use attack weapons designed to hover and strike with precision. Turkey’s military support extended beyond hardware, with six C-130 Hercules transport aircraft landing in Pakistan days after the Pahalgam attack, reportedly delivering defense cargo.
Turkey’s diplomatic backing further inflamed tensions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a February 2025 visit to Pakistan, reiterated support for Islamabad’s position on Kashmir, calling for a resolution “in accordance with UN resolutions and the will of the Kashmiri people.” Following Operation Sindoor, Erdogan described India’s strikes as “provocative,” echoing Pakistan’s narrative and prompting accusations of bias.
Turkish Airlines, a Star Alliance member, operates 56 weekly flights to India, with daily services to Delhi (14 weekly flights), Mumbai (14 weekly), Bengaluru (7 weekly), Hyderabad (7 weekly), and Chennai (7 weekly), alongside thrice-weekly flights to Kolkata and Amritsar. These flights connect to over 30 destinations in Europe and the United States via Istanbul, leveraging a codeshare agreement with IndiGo, India’s largest airline, established in 2018.
The codeshare allows Turkish Airlines to tap into IndiGo’s vast domestic network, funneling passengers to its Istanbul hub for onward travel to cities like New York, Boston, and Atlanta. Air India, another Star Alliance member, maintains an interline agreement with Turkish Airlines, while IndiGo operates two daily flights to Istanbul using damp-leased Boeing 777s from Turkish Airlines. In 2023, IndiGo inducted its first widebody aircraft from Turkish Airlines, and SpiceJet has previously used Turkish-registered planes to address capacity shortages.
Turkish Airlines holds a modest but significant market share in India’s international aviation sector. With India’s international passenger traffic at approximately 30 million annually (pre-2025 data), Turkish Airlines’ 56 weekly flights account for roughly 1–2% of international seat capacity, based on estimates from aviation analytics like Cirium Ascend. Its codeshare with IndiGo, which commands a 60% domestic market share, amplifies its reach, indirectly boosting its influence. The airline’s strategic partnerships have enabled it to capture a disproportionate share of India-Europe and India-U.S. traffic, with Istanbul serving as a key transit hub.
The backlash against Turkish Airlines reflects broader concerns about India’s commercial ties with a nation openly supporting its adversary. Critics, including Rajeev Mantri of Navam Capital, argue that Turkey’s refusal to sell armed drones to India while supplying them to Pakistan and Bangladesh exposes a double standard. Reports indicate Turkey imposed a blanket ban on defense exports to India in 2024, despite earlier investments like India’s stake in Turkish drone-maker Zyrone Dynamics in 2021.
The calls to ban Turkish Airlines highlight the intersection of geopolitics, commerce, and public sentiment. Turkey’s alignment with Pakistan, underscored by Erdogan’s Kashmir stance and military support during the May 2025 conflict, has eroded trust built through initiatives like Operation Dost. The use of Turkish drones, including kamikaze munitions, in attacks that killed 18 Indian civilians has fueled perceptions of betrayal.
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